– Last Updated on June 8, 2018 7:50 am
2016 Football Preview – Pac-12 – Arizona Wildcats
Looking for 2016 Arizona Wildcats predictions? In Rich Rodriguez’ fourth year at the helm it looked like the Arizona Wildcats were ready for a breakout season. Early on, it looked to be the case. Arizona started the season 3-0 and they got the UCLA Bruins at home to start the conference year.
2016 Pac 12 College Football Preview – Arizona Wildcats
NCAA Division: Pac Twelve
Head Coach: Rich Rodriguez
2015 Record: 7-6
Arizona Wildcats Odds To Win NCAA Championship 150/1
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It was all set up for Arizona to put themselves on the map in prime time, but instead they stumbled and were embarrassed at home. That set the tone for the season and Arizona ended up finishing at a disappointing 7-6.
2016 Arizona Wildcats Predictions: Team Strengths
The strength of the Wildcats is, of course, their offense. Rich Rodriguez is a great offensive mind and he can make anemic talent look good on the offensive side of the ball. That is what he has done with the Wildcats thus far and that should continue this year.
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The Wildcats should be really strong in the trenches. The offensive line is very experienced with three juniors and two seniors leading the way.
This group should lead the Wildcats offense and take pressure off whoever the skill players and whoever lines up behind center.
Speaking of quarterbacks, junior Anu Solomon lost his job last year as he struggled and suffered multiple concussions over the course of the year.
Solomon showed his talent as a freshman and if Arizona is to go to a major bowl game again, Solomon will have to recapture that freshman glory.
Solomon isn’t guaranteed his job, however. Solomon will have some competition as sophomore Brandon Dawkins will be pushing hard for the job in the spring.
On the outside, Arizona has a solid group of receivers, but nothing special. Trey Griffey, Nate Phillips, Samajie Grant aren’t true playmakers that can change the game on a dime.
Halfback is interesting. Junior halfback Nick Wilson had a disappointing sophomore season much like Solomon.
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If Wilson can bounce back and replicate his freshman season where he scored 16 touchdowns and ran for 1,375 yards, then the Wildcats will be a sleeper team that will be able to make some noise.
2016 Arizona Wildcats Predictions: Team Weaknesses
The Arizona Wildcats couldn’t stop a nosebleed last year and with that Rich Rodriguez decided to completely overhaul the entire defense.
A new system and new coaching staff is in place which means that the potential of more pain on that side of the ball is in fact realistic.
On the plus side, Marcel Yates – former Boise State assistant – is taking the reins on the defensive side of the ball and there no doubt will be improvement this year and the future looks brighter.
The Wildcats still need players and that is what will hold them back from being a special team this year. The Wildcats are undersized, not that fast, and just don’t have any sort of special talent.
2016 Arizona Wildcats Predictions:
(Arizona Wildcats 9-4)
The Arizona Wildcats are an interesting team this year. On one hand their schedule is set up for them to really breakout.
Last year, the Wildcats had to go to up to the farm at Stanford, up to Seattle to face the Huskies, back down to Southern California versus the Trojans and they went to Tempe to face in-state rival Arizona State. That changes this year.
The Wildcats have a whopping seven home games this year and the one “neutral” game they play is against BYU which will take place in the state of Arizona in Glendale which may as well be a home game.
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The only intimidating road game they have is against the Utah Utes. You can basically chalk that up as a loss.
On the other, Arizona just isn’t as talented as some of the other teams in the conference.
The key will be that first conference game at home versus the Washington Huskies. If they lose that game, the season could quickly spiral out of control.
After that game Arizona goes to the Rose Bowl to face the Bruins and then they go to Utah which we already chalked up as a loss.
So, Arizona is an interesting team. They aren’t that good, but their schedule in a way does set them up for a strong finish. I like Arizona to finish off the season with at least six wins.
However, I see the upside in this team and the weakness of their schedule. I’ll go out on a limb and say this team wins nine wins and perhaps upset some of the pundits as they aren’t buying the stock they did last year. Arizona has a lot of value to upset the applecart this year.
2016 Arizona Wildcats Football Schedule
- 9/3/16 vs. BYU Cougars 7:30 PM/PT
- 9/10/16 vs. Grambling State Tigers 7:45 PM/PT
- 9/17/16 vs. Hawaii Rainbow Warriors 7:45 PM/PT
- 9/24/16 vs. Washington Huskies TBA
- 10/1/16 at. UCLA Bruins TBA
- 10/8/16 at. Utah Utes TBA
- 10/15/16 vs. USC Trojans TBA
- 10/29/16 vs. Stanford Cardinal TBA
- 11/5/16 at. Washington State Cougars TBA
- 11/12/16 vs. Colorado Buffaloes TBA
- 11/19/16 at. Oregon State Beavers TBA
- 11/25/16 vs. Arizona State Sun Devils 6:30 PM/PT
What do you think about our 2016 Arizona Wildcats predictions? Please leave us a comment below telling us how you think they’ll do in 2016!
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